That's a good way to go about it. I have been setting my reading challenges way off my beaten path of Mystery & History. I pick a challenge in a genre I don't usually read for one year. This year I chose Fantasy, and I'm only reading the first books if it's a series, or just a stand alone. Last year I challenged myself to read Nonfiction. I always worry when I pick a challenge genre that I won't find enough or any that I want to read. Luckily for me I have found many. Next year I may try Science Fiction. I never know which genre I'll pick until the new year. I wait till the last day to decide, I think better under pressure.
What really surprised me was how Amazon knew what I would pick for Kindle First April selection, months before I did !